The Good Lord Bird

The Good Lord Bird, based on James McBride's novel, stars Ethan Hawke as the radical abolitionist John Brown in the lead-up to his 1859 raid on Harpers Ferry. Told through the eyes of a fictional enslaved boy who joins Brown's cause, the limited series mixes dark comedy with the real violence and moral complexity of the abolitionist movement. Hawke's performance -- fiery, funny, and unhinged in equal measure -- anchors a show that treats a grim chapter of American history with more irreverence than most prestige dramas would dare.